Recently, amidst the ongoing rumors of the arrest of Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), He Weidong, there have been new reports indicating further turmoil at the upper echelons of the CCP military. It is said that senior military leaders such as Rocket Force Commander Wang Houbin and Eastern Theater Commander Lin Xiangyang have been successively taken into custody. Analysts believe that this round of purges is not orchestrated by CCP leader Xi Jinping, but rather by Deputy Chairman of the CCP Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia with the aim of dismantling Xi’s military influence. This move further confirms the outside world’s assessment of Xi Jinping’s waning power and diminishing influence.
On March 25, senior mainland Chinese media figure Zhao Lanjian posted on social media platform X that Rocket Force Commander Wang Houbin was arrested in his office on March 22, once again shocking the CCP military establishment. Zhao Lanjian revealed that between March 13 and 23, the CCP military launched a new round of purges, with over a hundred senior officers being dealt with, causing significant shockwaves. He mentioned that Rocket Force Commander Wang Houbin was arrested, the military office chief was dismissed, and over a hundred high-ranking officers were either dismissed or transferred, involving multiple military branches, leading to a full-scale escalation of internal military struggles.
Citing sources, Zhao Lanjian stated that this purge is a continuation of the power struggle among various factions within the CCP, escalating into a fierce power struggle of “kill or be killed.”
After the suspension and investigation of CCP Central Military Commission member and Political Work Department Lieutenant General Miao Hua on November 28, 2024, rumors began to circulate that Rocket Force Commander Wang Houbin had already been summoned and might not escape unscathed.
Wang Houbin, originally the Deputy Commander of the PLA Navy, was appointed Rocket Force Commander in July 2023, and promoted to the rank of General, becoming the first officer from a different branch to command the Rocket Force. Wang Houbin was closely associated with the disgraced Miao Hua and his appointment as Rocket Force Commander was reportedly recommended by Miao Hua.
Amid the swift spread of news about Wang Houbin’s arrest, independent political commentator Cai Shenkun confirmed the related rumors on social media platform X on March 25, stating that Eastern Theater Commander Lin Xiangyang and former Southern Theater Commander Wang Xiubin have also been arrested.
Lin Xiangyang’s most recent public appearance was on March 14 when he attended a discussion meeting in Beijing marking the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the so-called “Anti-Secession Law.”
In fact, back in late November 2024, rumors circulated that Lin Xiangyang had been taken away for investigation. It was speculated at the time that following the news of Miao Hua’s arrest, it was likely that Lin Xiangyang would also face consequences as both had experience serving in Fujian province, were stationed in the 31st Army, and were both promoted by Xi Jinping as “Fujian clique” leaders. There were also reports that Xi Jinping was facing a dilemma in the military about becoming a “lame-duck commander.”
Public information disclosed that Lin Xiangyang, born in October 1964 in Fuqing, Fujian, previously served as Deputy Commander of the original 31st Group Army and later the Commander of the 47th Group Army.
Following the military restructuring by the CCP, Lin Xiangyang appeared publicly as the Commander of the 82nd Group Army of the Central Theater Command in July 2017. In 2019, he transferred to the position of Commander of the 72nd Group Army. In 2020, Lin Xiangyang was featured in official CCP media reports as the Army Commander of the Eastern Theater Command. On September 6, 2021, Lin Xiangyang was promoted to the rank of General and made his first public appearance as Commander of the Central Theater Command.
In early 2022, Lin Xiangyang stepped down, and on September 30 of the same year, Lin Xiangyang made his first public appearance as Commander of the CCP Eastern Theater Command. Before Lin Xiangyang, the position of Eastern Theater Commander was held by He Weidong.
There have been recent reports that He Weidong was taken into custody after the conclusion of the CCP’s two sessions and is being detained at the PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital). Zhao Lanjian previously mentioned that the CCP Central Military Commission (CMC) Headquarters has initiated a comprehensive clearance operation, organizing all documents, speeches, photos, and video materials from He Weidong’s term as CMC Vice Chairman, and is uniformly submitting them to the CMC Office to ensure that his influence is completely eradicated.
Regarding the arrest of He Weidong and Lin Xiangyang, political commentator Cai Shenkun mentioned that as the individuals in charge of Taiwan-related operations, they were well aware of the CCP’s overall military deployment towards Taiwan and were involved in formulating operational plans. He stated that He Weidong and Lin Xiangyang disclosed sensitive operational information, but the recipients of the information are still unclear.
Apart from Lin Xiangyang, former Southern Theater Commander Wang Xiubin has also been rumored to have faced consequences.
In August 2024, significant personnel changes occurred in the CCP military high command, with three out of the five theater commanders being shuffled. Lieutenant General Wu Yanan, who previously served in the Northern and Central Theater Commands, took over as the Commander of the Southern Theater Command. The CCP official sources did not disclose the whereabouts and reasons for the departure of the former Southern Theater Commander Wang Xiubin.
Wang Xiubin previously served as the Deputy Commander of the 31st Group Army of the Nanjing Military Region in 2013, and subsequently rose through the ranks, serving in the Northern, Eastern, and Southern Theater Commands.
It is noteworthy that He Weidong, Miao Hua, Lin Xiangyang, and Wang Xiubin all had a background in the 31st Group Army. The original 31st Group Army of the CCP has long been stationed in Fujian, and Xi Jinping worked in Fujian for nearly 17 years since the mid-1980s. This group has been regarded by outsiders as Xi Jinping’s trusted force within the military.
Political commentator Chen Pokong, currently residing in the United States, remarked that the current purging in the military targeting personnel from the 31st Group Army is Deputy Chairman of the CCP Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia’s move to eliminate Xi Jinping’s influence within the military ranks.
Chen Pokong told Daijiyuan reporters that Zhang Youxia’s crackdown on the 31st Group Army signifies his attempt to decimate Xi Jinping’s loyal forces within the military. This situation clearly reflects the power struggle at the highest levels of the CCP, with the military authority effectively falling into the hands of Zhang Youxia.
He stated that although the specific circumstances of He Weidong and Lin Xiangyang’s arrests cannot be confirmed yet, the overall situation suggests a high likelihood of their involvement due to the prevailing political landscape and internal dynamics within the CCP.
Regarding the rumors about Lin Xiangyang’s arrest involving the disclosure of CCP’s Taiwan military operation plans, Chen Pokong believed this narrative was crafted to save face for Xi Jinping. He mentioned that while Zhang Youxia had taken Xi Jinping’s associates into custody, they still needed to preserve Xi’s reputation, thus it was rationalized using other reasons to divert public attention, making it seem as if Xi Jinping’s authority remained intact.
Political analyst Tang Jingyuan, in an interview with Daijiyuan reporters, expressed confidence in the credibility of the rumors surrounding the arrests of several high-ranking military officers. He noted that when the CCP is involved in significant personnel changes, they often first release information overseas. In this case, multiple international sources have mentioned the same events involving He Weidong, and even the related details are highly similar. Furthermore, despite rumors circulating about He Weidong’s situation for nearly two weeks, the CCP has not issued any clarifications. This contrasted sharply with the rapid denial by the CCP military when similar rumors surfaced about former Defense Minister Dong Jun.
Tang Jingyuan believed that this pattern in itself serves as indirect evidence further confirming the high probability of He Weidong’s troubles. The rumors of Wang Houbin, Lin Xiangyang, and others being investigated were built upon the foundation of He Weidong’s situation. If He Weidong is indeed under investigation, then his subordinates promoted by him or the high-ranking military officials closely linked to him are likely to face consequences.
Regarding the assertion that Zhang Youxia is dismantling Xi Jinping’s military influence, Tang Jingyuan agreed with this analysis. Since the Third Plenum last year, multiple signs have shown a significant reduction in Xi Jinping’s power within the military, and Zhang Youxia has played a vital role in replacing Xi Jinping’s sphere of influence. Moreover, during this year’s CCP two sessions, when Xi Jinping exited, Zhang Youxia turned his back in deliberate disregard, displaying a complete public snub towards Xi Jinping. Such an overt act, even during a highly public occasion, indicated Zhang Youxia’s unwillingness to cooperate in upholding superficial political formalities with Xi Jinping, showcasing their openly brewing conflict.
Tang Jingyuan stated that after the conclusion of the CCP two sessions, the commanders within the military who faced purges were all personally selected and trusted by Xi Jinping, yet they were all brought down in one fell swoop. This trend aligns with the political logic of Xi Jinping’s declining power within the military since last year.